Junction of jurisdiction: Pol aims to end cops' turf war

Pol aims to end cops’ turf war

Credit: John Wilcox

WHOSE PATROL? As the Seaport District has grown, state police and the Boston Police Department have been feuding over who’s in charge of the neighborhood.

Credit: John Wilcox

WHOSE PATROL? As the Seaport District has grown, state police and the Boston Police Department have been feuding over who’s in charge of the neighborhood.

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A South Boston lawmaker upset over an ongoing turf war in the Seaport District between Boston and state police is fast-tracking a measure he hopes will sort out the confusion before it gets worse.

“We don’t want to be in a situation where public safety is at risk because of lack of clarity over jurisdiction,” said South Boston state Rep. Nick Collins. “With the growth of the waterfront, more activity is bound to happen.”

Collins’ proposal — co-signed by Reps. Marty Walz (D-Boston) and Jason Lewis (D-Winchester) — would give the Boston Police Department “concurrent” jurisdiction with the state police. A similar measure died on Beacon Hill last year, but Collins is hoping this time it will sail through the Legislature.

“It’s a no-man’s land for the BPD,” Collins said. “We’re hoping to get this passed this session.”

The Herald reported yesterday that state and Hub cops have been beefing over who’s in charge in the Seaport as incidents in the growing neighborhood escalate. The feud has led to disputes over the handling of sexual assault and domestic violence cases, as well as delays in hitting bars with licensing sanctions. In one glaring example, a dead body sat on a boat for hours while troopers and Boston cops argued over who would handle the case.

Since the mid-1990s, much of the Seaport has been the exclusive turf of the state police. But that law was passed when the area was largely an industrial wasteland, and now that it’s the hottest neighborhood in the city — with new hotels, restaurants, bars and residential towers — the BPD thinks it should do the patrolling.

Collins’ bill would be similar to one he authored last year that gave state and local cops concurrent jurisdiction in cities where casinos will be built. State police oppose the change, saying they’re well equipped to deal with the Seaport duty.